What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Related report A-SW-29-19-007;
The captain stated; ""the airplane of gate 13 had stopped for a while and there was no indication from any ground personnel that there was a clearance problem. I made the assumption that the airplane had been positioned to give us enough clearance to turn away from it as it usually is the case."
The pilot of N243WN was unaware the wingtips overlapped with gate-13-airplane (connected to the tug off gate 13), thus begin to taxi unaware there was inadequate clearances to avoid ground collision. The wingwalker (person closest to the collision point) was also a new employee (hired within past year) and was unsuccessful gaining captain's attention once he became aware of inadequate clearance (pending collision). The company investigation is ongoing and there are pending company recommendations to avoid future similar events. There were no gate restrictions for simultaneous pushing involving gates 13 & 14.
Investigation revealed the risks associated with the pushback procedures, at bna, were acceptable, considering; one hazard was identified regarding a guide agent not being able to communicate to the same effectiviness as when headset are worn. Data did not support a hazzard of using headsets during condition (code) yellow. Corrective action of allowing headsets during condition (code) yellow was briefed and approved by the company. Implementation is contingent on rollout of new wireless headset system.
Company will follow-up with cmo once the implementation (rollout of new wireless headset system) is completed.
As the FAA filed it
RELATED REPORT A-SW-29-19-007;
THE CAPTAIN STATED; ""THE AIRPLANE OF GATE 13 HAD STOPPED FOR A WHILE AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION FROM ANY GROUND PERSONNEL THAT THERE WAS A CLEARANCE PROBLEM. I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN POSITIONED TO GIVE US ENOUGH CLEARANCE TO TURN AWAY FROM IT AS IT USUALLY IS THE CASE."
THE PILOT OF N243WN WAS UNAWARE THE WINGTIPS OVERLAPPED WITH GATE-13-AIRPLANE (CONNECTED TO THE TUG OFF GATE 13), THUS BEGIN TO TAXI UNAWARE THERE WAS INADEQUATE CLEARANCES TO AVOID GROUND COLLISION. THE WINGWALKER (PERSON CLOSEST TO THE COLLISION POINT) WAS ALSO A NEW EMPLOYEE (HIRED WITHIN PAST YEAR) AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL GAINING CAPTAIN'S ATTENTION ONCE HE BECAME AWARE OF INADEQUATE CLEARANCE (PENDING COLLISION). THE COMPANY INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND THERE ARE PENDING COMPANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO AVOID FUTURE SIMILAR EVENTS. THERE WERE NO GATE RESTRICTIONS FOR SIMULTANEOUS PUSHING INVOLVING GATES 13 & 14.
INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUSHBACK PROCEDURES, AT BNA, WERE ACCEPTABLE, CONSIDERING; ONE HAZARD WAS IDENTIFIED REGARDING A GUIDE AGENT NOT BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE TO THE SAME EFFECTIVINESS AS WHEN HEADSET ARE WORN. DATA DID NOT SUPPORT A HAZZARD OF USING HEADSETS DURING CONDITION (CODE) YELLOW. CORRECTIVE ACTION OF ALLOWING HEADSETS DURING CONDITION (CODE) YELLOW WAS BRIEFED AND APPROVED BY THE COMPANY. IMPLEMENTATION IS CONTINGENT ON ROLLOUT OF NEW WIRELESS HEADSET SYSTEM.
COMPANY WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH CMO ONCE THE IMPLEMENTATION (ROLLOUT OF NEW WIRELESS HEADSET SYSTEM) IS COMPLETED.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.